Wake The Dead
by ThrashMetalQueen
Summary: City Of Angels;; Maryse Russet was just one of those other people that lived her life day by day in Los Angeles, California. See what happens when she finds herself crossing paths with the immortal crow. AshexOC
1. What Was That?

**Wake The Dead**

_By: Madame Reject_

**Disclaimer: I own Maryse Russet.**

**Rated: M (adult language, content, violence, drug use, etc.)**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Drama**

**Type: The Crow: City Of Angels**

**Pairings: Ashe/OC, etc.**

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**Chapter One: What Was That?**

**A/N: This is my first Crow story. I am trying hard on it, so don't worry. I hope you all enjoy. The first chapter is a introduction to my character. Speaking of her, her name is pronounced "Mah-reese". **

**More stuff will come up in the other chapters.**

**Review.**

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Los Angeles. One of the most melencholy, tragic, run-down cities of the United States.

They call it the city of angels. But in all truth, nothing about this place was angelic. There was no angels in the city of angels. Not at all. In all my life that I've lived here, I've never seen anything amazing or fantastic happen. That one something that gives a brighter side to the life that just withers away, day-by-day. No, it's all just the same.

If you got the chance to move out of here, you'd be considered lucky. But most of the poeple wouldn't even try to get out of here. They're chained down by their own self-pity, addiction, hatred, or sadness. Los Angeles was like everyone's heroin. Addicting, deadly, dependent. Most of the ones who are here will most likely die here, whether they liked it or not. They want to get away, but they can't. Los Angeles is the cancer of America.

Walking the streets of this city is like gambling with your own life. You always have to watch your back. There's always that one chance that you just lose it all.

Every one second, someone is killed.

Every three seconds, a car is stolen, or hacked into.

Every ten seconds, someone is kidnapped or raped.

Every twelve seconds, someone is mugged.

Fortunately for me, I'm one of those that manages to blend in with the rest of the crowd. To remain unseen and unheard, but by only those that are close to me. Who am I, you ask? Well that's simple. My name is Maryse Russet.

Some people that first meet me ask if I'm famous because of my name. They say that it sounds like someone that came fresh out of Hollywood. Hah, no, I'm not famous. Not even close. Probably the one thing that comes near to 'famous' or 'fancy' would be the resturaunt that I work at uptown. That's it.

I think, may be it's good that way. Why? Because a lot of those stars that are up on billboards, or have their names up in lights, are just wrapped up in their own fantasies.

But then again, what is reality anymore?

What is normal?

These are the questions I ask myself everyday. But I never seem to get the answer. Oh well, may be some day.

Speaking of me working, as I walked down from the Clique, I travelled down into the parking lot to my car. It was getting late, and the only thing I wanted to do now was go home. It was getting chillier by the second, so I tried hurrying up, fast.

Suddenly, something flew passed me, brushing roughly on top of my head I jumped up out of surprise. It scared the shit out of me so much, that I accidently had dropped my keys. I beant down and picked them up, then tried to see what hit me.

But all I saw, was a black crow, flying into the darkness of the city.


	2. Rebirth

**Chapter Two: Rebirth**

I shivered slightly at the feeling of the cold wind touching my skin. I rolled up my window and tried putting my coat a little more over my shoulders. I had noticed that there was a great amount of fog out tonight. The street lights shoned down an eerie tone, brightening up the dark, filthy streets. Some of them kept flickering.

On and off.

On. On. Off.

On. Long drawl. Off.

The city was so broken and incomplete. There was just no pride left in it. It was pathetic. I felt just embarassed to be a part of it. It made me pity the othes in it. Every building, damaged somehow. The roads were trashed and cluttered because no one respected their home anymore. This place was a wasteland. I felt worried for the children. They can't play in the saftey of their own city without getting hurt. NMo beautiful scenery, no nature. Just concrete, glass, needles, poison, disease and other harmful litter.

I thought about this place a lot... I guess it's just because I want the same thing as everyone else. Hope for a brighter day. For something to promise me that it's all going to be okay. I miss that. I've been here for some time now. I forgot what hope was supposed to look, feel, or even sound like...

Or... may be not. Because I remember something that was similar to some hope to happiness... Or someone... I didn't exactly know what to think of him at first. He looked like another low-life loser. But he had a little boy with him, his son, so I changed my thoughts completely. Especially since he looked so happy. And no, it wasn't that creepy, fake happy. It was actual happiness. It was the same for his son. It just seemed like every little bad thing around them didn't matter.

_**Flashback -- Two Weeks Ago --** _

_The front door of Clique jingled as it was opened. I looked over and saw two figures as I placed a plate down onto one of the customer's table. It was a rough-looking and grimy man with a boy. You wouldn't see a man like that in a place around here._

_He looked down at his son. I saw him say something to him. But I couldn't make it out quite well. But I just guessed that if he asked him if he was hungry._

_As I was finished serving my current customer, I moved behind the counter and grabbed a few menus. Then I walked over to the man and his son._

_"Hello, welcome to the Clique. Is there anything we can get'chya today?" I greeted them._

_"Ah yes please, can I have a hamburger and fries for me?" the father requested. He looked at his son. "And ah, what do you want Danny?"_

_"Chicken nuggets!" he said, excitedly. I couldn't help but giggle. He was the cutest thing I had ever seen._

_"Okay, a hamburger and chicken nuggests, please." the man smiled._

_"Coming right up." I smiled back._

_Days passed on and I got to know this man and his son. He came back more often and I enjoyed it._

_"What's your name?" I asked him. _

_"Ashe Corvin." he answered me. _

_"And your son?" _

_"Danny." he told me. _

_"Oh." I said. "He's just the cutest thing ever." _

_"I know, I love him." he smiled, looking over at him. He was coloring on one of the children's sheets with different colored crayons. _

_"Mom's not around?" I asked. I was afraid to, because it might have been a touchy subject._

_He shook his head. "Nope, she was a drug addict."_

_"Oh..." I said, sadly. "And it's just you and him?"_

_"Yes. But we're pretty happy that way." he smiled._

_I did too. "That's good. Well, if you ever need someone to help you out with him. Or just whatever in general, I'm always here to help."_

_I put a hand on his, in support and care. _

_"Thanks." he said, sweetly._

_**End Flashback**_

Though lately, neither of them showed up. I figured they moved, or something. But I hoped they were happy.

As I drove passed the peers, and as I did, I saw something.

It was a lady. She was standing on one of the peers watching something.

It was a man. He was crawlling forward, drenched in water. He seemed like he was in trouble, because he just collapsed right in front of her.

I got worried, so I pulled over to the curb to help.

"Hey!" I shouted over to the girl. "You need any help?"


	3. Whispers In The Dark

**Chapter Three: Whispers In The Dark**

**A/N: Chapter title from the song 'Whispers In The Dark' by: Skillet.**

**Excuse me for any spelling/grammer mistakes. The library I'm typing at has shitty keyboards. They never update ANYTHING. Seriously.**

**Review.**

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I shut my car door and ran out where she was. I stepped out and onto the pier with her, collecting the man's body.

"Holy shit, what happened to him?" I asked her.

"I don't know... I just saw him like this, and pulled over." she replied.

"I see." I said. "Come on, let's get him to a hospital."

"No, he's okay." she said, quickly. "Let's just take him back to my place and fix him up there."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I mean, he looks pretty hurt."

"Yeah, come on."

I didn't understand what she had planned, but I listened and helped her out. But as I got the top part of his body, I looked at his face. I fell back in shock, and gasped.

"Holy shit...!"

The brunette female glanced up at me. "What? What is it?"

"I know this who this is."

It was Ashe.

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We sat there. He was laying in my lap, while the brunette, Sarah, lied next to him. Waiting for him to wake.

_Flashback --_

_It was around nine in the morning. There was a few people in The Clique enjoying some breakfast that we were serving. I placed a plate down on a customer's table on a customer's table full of eggs._

_"Maryse." called a deep voice._

_I looked over at the counter. It was my boss._

_"Sir?"_

_"Can you assist that man over there?" he requested, pointing over to a table._

_I looked over._

_It was Ashe. At the same table he sat at before. _

_I smiled. "Yes, sir."_

_With a couple of menus, a pad of paper and a pen, I walked over to him. _

_"What will you have, stranger?" I greeted him._

_He looked up to me, then smiled. "Well, hello. How're you today?"_

_"Just fine." I said. "And yourself?"_

_"Alright, just stopping in to grab a bite to eat." Ashe replied. "Danny's at a baby sitter's today."_

_"Ah." I said. "Well, let me get you that order and I'll make sure to get you filled quick. Your little one can't be away from his dad all day, now."_

_"True, very true." he chuckled._

_"I'll be right back." I said. And before I took a couple steps, Ashe spoke again._

_"Hold on, wait."_

_I turned around. "Yeah?" _

_"Why don't you come with me later?" he offered. "You know, when your shift's over. You can see my son with me."_

_"I'd like that."_

_-- End Flashback_

Suddenly, he awoke, shifting upward.

He looked at me and Sarah. There was fear in his eyes. "Who, are you two?"

"Sarah." the brunette said.

I looked at Ashe with disbelief. "You, don't remember who I am?"

"Where am I?" he said, ignoring my comment.

"My place." Sarah said. "We brought you here. I saw them, shoot you and your son."

"No!" Ashe screamed.

And that's when he started to run.


	4. Someone By Your Side

**Chapter Four: Someone By Your Side**

"No, wait! Where are you going?!" I yelled to Ashe, panicking. I looked to Sarah. "Where is he going?"

"To where he was killed." She said, still looking toward the door.

I was still lost to where she was getting all of this. Killed? Shot? How can this all be possible? He was right in front of our eyes, _alive._ I don't get how he could be dead. Or, that he died and now is back...

"Come on, hurry!" she said, quickly.

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**-Ashe's POV-**

This isn't real. It can't be. What was that woman talking about I couldn't have been alive.

...I was shot. And Danny... he was killed right in front of me. Those sick, thugs were the ones that killed us.

This couldn't be real....it couldn't be.

Please...please don't let it be real...

I was cold, everything was cold. Especially the atmosphere of the body shop as I walked through it. The air, it was dense. And it was too silent for comfort. It was empty and dead...everything was just gone.

I looked down and saw a piece of paper underneath my feet. It was dusty and had a foot print in the center of it. It was...Danny's painting. This... _was_ real. I blew on it to clear it up. But now matter how much I cleaned it up, it would never be him. It was never be my son. I rose it up and down...up and down...it was all I had of him now.

Then, it all started coming to me. My faded memory started lighting up again. I began remembering it all.

Danny.

Myself.

Gunshots.

...Blood...

It invaded my mind. I couldn't stop it. I screamed, it was just just so painful to bare. There they were, those monsters inside my head. The memories of losing my only boy. And dying there with him. Their laughter. Their sick laughter piercing my ears. They showed no mercy toward us. They only destroyed us with those grins on their twisted faces.

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**-Maryse's POV-**

Sarah and I travelled to Ashe's body shop. Screams of horror and pain echoed in the building and crept outside of it. We walked in and saw Ashe breaking down, emotionally, destroying the garage at the same time. He was angry, he was depressed and it was hurting me at the same time. What was causing him so much pain... I wanted to know...

He crouched down on the ground, clunching onto a piece of paper; looking to be a child's painting. Danny's painting. Sarah sat down on her knees in front of him. I did the same, but I say by his side. I placed my hand on his back. I felt him shaking. I felt the unbearable pain that he was feeling. Something had traumitized him. Pained him by something horrible. I wanted to know what it was so I could help him. So I could take away his pain. It killed me inside to see him like this.

"My Lord, what's happened to you?" I said to Ashe, scared out of my mind. I almost wanted to cry just seeing him in this state.

"Danny..." he said, as he handed Sarah the painting.

She put it aside and held him tightly. "He's not here anymore..."

But he soon pushed her away and fell back on the ground. I placed my hand on his face. I looked at him with great sympathy.

"You don't remember me, do you?" I asked him.

His gray, sad eyes flickered in my direction. "Maryse..."

Sarah then asked his name and he replied to her with, "Ashe."

"There's a reason why you've been broguht back, Ashe." she told him.

"To find who did this to us." he answered her. "To make them pay."

She then dipped her hands into a can of beige paint can and caked it onto his face, creating him a white mask. Next, she took the slender paintbrush from the can of black and drew lines down his face passed his eyes and then outlined his lips. I watched as she transformed him into this dark avenger.

"These were Danny's paints, weren't they...?" she asked him.

Ashe then put on a new shirt along with his leather jacket and picked up Danny's painting. He folded it up and put it inside of his pocket.

I approached him, looking into his eyes. "Ashe, let me go with you. I don't know what's happened, but whatever has caused you so much pain; whoever; let me help you get rid of it."

"No," he refused. "I can't do that. You can't lose your life over me. I have to do this alone. The ones who killed me and my son will die by my hand and you might die because of me."

"I won't die." I told him. "But you can't fight them by yourself. Let me be with you."

He looked at me, deeply; he didn't want to do it, but he eventually then gave in. "Just don't do anything I tell you not to."


End file.
